themonasnovels Chapter 27 [Chain Mission 3: The Secret of the Underworld]
Chapter 27 [Chain Mission 3: The Secret of the Underworld]
In the shimmering red and blue light, the brain, about thirty meters in diameter, slowly transformed into Qi.
The soul and consciousness, entangled by strands of red and blue silk threads, were like a marionette, dismembered into millions of fragments of different shapes, reflecting one hazy, blurry, and almost indistinct scene after another.
Duanmu Ning frowned slightly and said, "This corpse holding the battle flag really does have its own 'memory,' just as Junior Brother Xiong Zhou guessed. It doesn't act entirely based on its bloodthirsty instincts after turning into a zombie."
"Every action is influenced by the behavioral habits that were deeply ingrained in the muscles and blood vessels during one's lifetime."
"However, this 'memory' is very fragmented, and also very... disjointed."
Xiong Zhou's expression remained unchanged; this situation was exactly what he had expected.
He asked, "Senior Sister Duanmu, could you project these 'memories' in chronological order?"
Duanmu Ning raised his hands, and the scattered fragments, like pieces of a jigsaw puzzle, were pieced together according to normal time logic to form three different overlapping images.
She pointed lightly into the void, and the first overlapping image began to play.
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Ten thousand miles of green mountains, and flowing green waters.
A network of crisscrossing paths winds through the mountains, and wisps of smoke rise and drift in the wind, stretching out invisibly.
At first glance, everything seemed so ordinary, as if the laws of heaven and earth in the Azure Sky Realm were normal during this period, without any problems. There was no rising corpse energy, no death energy turning into clouds, and no unknown poison hidden in the energy of heaven and earth.
"Little brother, dinner's ready."
Her voice, slightly husky yet full of gentleness, lingered in the ears.
A girl, dressed very simply, with her hair in a simple bun, looking a little tired but with unusually bright eyes, about 15 years old, walked out from a small courtyard and slowly waved her little hand.
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Extremely abrupt, the image disappeared.
The image also began to slowly collapse, breaking into even finer fragments.
Duanmu Ning's expression remained unchanged as he pointed to the second image, causing it to slowly unfold.
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The green hills have reappeared, and the clear waters have returned.
However, the landscape has changed.
The crisscrossing fields are overgrown with weeds, the wisps of smoke rising from the chimneys of ordinary homes are gone, and the simple fifteen-year-old girl has never appeared again.
"That's how you wave the flag!"
A tall, armored warrior, gripping a long flag, was demonstrating a somewhat crude battle tactic to newly enlisted soldiers on a battlefield.
"With a fearless heart, martial intent manifests; the power of heaven and earth amplifies my strength!"
"Blood boils with courage, the filthy spirit rises, all things unite and become me!"
Each word roared from the instructor's mouth, his fiery blood surged and rose like waves, his martial spirit permeated his entire body, and he harnessed the wisps of heaven and earth's energy, gathering them into himself, transforming into a hundred-foot-tall armored giant.
From then on, every punch and kick was imbued with the power of heaven and earth, carrying an unparalleled force.
"This technique is called 'Martial Intent Condensation,' please remember it!"
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The second scene ends abruptly once again.
However, that soaring martial intent did not dissipate. It seemed to resonate with some specific principle of heaven and earth, condensing into Daoist script in the void, carving out a magnificent chapter filled with the true meaning of war and slaughter, fully displaying its fierce martial intent.
Duanmu Ning did not reach out to project the third image.
As she gazed upon this magnificent and intensely powerful piece of writing, her expression subtly shifted, and she fell silent.
After browsing through this chapter on martial prowess, Xiong Zhou suddenly thought of something and swallowed hard.
He murmured, "At the first level of Qi Refining, one can manifest a ten-zhang (approximately 33 meters) martial body. At the second level of Qi Refining, one can manifest a hundred-zhang (approximately 33 meters) martial body."
"At the third level of Qi Refining, one can form a martial body a thousand feet tall. At the fourth level of Qi Refining, one can condense a martial body ten thousand feet tall... The subsequent chapters did not appear, but there was clearly an unfinished meaning."
"This combat technique, called 'Martial Intent Condensation,' looks somewhat crude, and its details are even more rough compared to 'Tai Li Qi Refining Method.'"
"But how come this description is somewhat similar to the great supernatural power called 'Law of Heaven and Earth' that uses martial arts to attain enlightenment?"
If this "Martial Intent Condensation" is a prequel to "Law of Heaven and Earth," or a martial arts combat technique adapted from or simplified from this great divine power, then it would truly be defying the heavens.
By observing the instructor's demonstration on the battlefield, one can understand the wide reach of this "Martial Intent Condensation" technique.
This has almost become a "basic combat tactic" that every soldier must learn!
Everyone here possesses a unique supernatural ability...
Although the number of supernatural powers is unique, and what one cultivates and learns is also fixed and cannot be easily changed, and it belongs to the acquired realm, if it is a chapter on supernatural powers related to "The Law of Heaven and Earth", then it is worth it, extremely worth it.
From this perspective, these soldiers have reached the same level as most of the disciples of the Tai Li Immortal Sect in terms of cultivation methods.
As far as Xiong Zhou knew, in the Tai Li Immortal Sect, there were no disciples with innate supernatural powers. Before reaching the third level of Qi Refining and cultivating the realm of immortality, they only cultivated a postnatal supernatural power as a benchmark and standard to prevent themselves from going astray on the path of Qi Refining without realizing it.
Xiong Zhou shook his head, looking at the "Martial Intent Condensation" gradually dissipating in mid-air, and was somewhat tempted, clicking his tongue softly.
"This explains why these reanimated corpses all possess such enormous and powerful bodies."
He possesses a supernatural power that is suspected to be related to the "Law of Heaven and Earth." With such physical training and cultivation, how could his body not be strong and powerful?
"Senior Sister Duanmu, what do you think of this battle strategy that uses martial arts to achieve enlightenment?"
Duanmu Ning's furrowed brows relaxed, and she shook her head with a smile.
Her expression was serious, but her tone was casual, carrying a hint of arrogance she had never shown before: "In terms of combat power and killing ability, this technique is indeed powerful."
"Even if this battle technique, 'Martial Intent Condensation,' is truly a prelude to the great divine power 'Law of Heaven and Earth,' so what?"
"As our cultivation level improves, as our understanding of the Dao deepens, and as our knowledge and comprehension of the laws of heaven and earth increase, the innate supernatural powers we possess will gradually be perfected. In terms of potential, they will be no less than this great supernatural power."
"In terms of the compatibility between the principles of law and the path of Tao, our innate supernatural powers are the most compatible with what we have cultivated and learned, serving as a signpost on the path to attaining immortality."
"Junior Brother Xiong Zhou, of all my words, I only ask one question: Is it possible to attain immortality?"
Xiong Zhou was stunned.
He couldn't help but ask himself, if learning "Martial Intent Condensation" which might be related to "The Law of Heaven and Earth," could he achieve immortality?
Probably not.
The great supernatural power of "Law of Heaven and Earth" should be a method for achieving physical sainthood, reaching the heavens through martial arts, and proving the Dao through force. It does not align well with the two paths he is currently walking.
The Way of Abundance is born from the intertwining of the Way of Earth and the Way of Wood, with the two accounting for the vast majority. This is related to physical strength to some extent, but the connection is not strong.
With his current cultivation level and realm, and with his current understanding of the laws of heaven and earth, he is still unable to achieve the "Nurturing a Hundred Classics" and integrate the principles of "Martial Intent Condensation" into his own abundant path.
Therefore, if he really learned "Martial Intent Condensation Body", it would not only fail to increase his chances of becoming an immortal, but would instead become a burden.
At this moment, Duanmu Ning looked over with a deep, melancholy gaze.
She said softly, "Junior Brother Xiong Zhou, there's a reason why the sect only allows us to cultivate one immortal technique when we reach the first level of Qi Refining. Rather than being mediocre in everything, it's better to specialize in one thing first, to help extend and expand our own path of cultivation, and to solidify our foundation in Qi Refining for achieving immortality."
"A Qi cultivator at the first level of Qi Refining, without special bloodlines, extraordinary physiques, innate supernatural powers, or accompanying artifacts to delay aging and postpone the decline of Qi and blood, will reach the peak of their Qi and blood at around thirty years old, and gradually enter a period of decline after thirty-five years old."
"If you don't solidify your foundation and enter the second level of Qi Refining while your Qi and blood are at their peak, the success rate of advancing to the second level of Qi Refining will plummet like a cliff when your Qi and blood begin to decline."
"Junior Brother Xiong Zhou, you should be very clear about all the details involved."
The time available for cultivation in the mortal realm and the second realm is extremely limited.
Even if there are special techniques or methods that can slow down the decline of Qi and blood, once you enter the decline phase, you've entered the decline phase, and that won't change.
Aside from a few extremely special individuals, even the true disciples of the Tai Li Immortal Sect would find it difficult to manage all aspects of life within the mortal realm.
Xiong Zhou heeded this advice.
He sighed slowly, putting aside the idea of cultivating the "Martial Intent Condensation" technique, treating it merely as a form of self-accumulation.
"Senior Sister Duanmu, please release the third image. Perhaps the information we are looking for is here."
Duanmu Ning nodded slightly, pointed to the image floating in mid-air, and projected the information within it.
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It's still the same mountain, and the same water.
However, the environment has changed drastically, and the laws of heaven and earth have undergone strange changes.
Not only are the villages with their wisps of smoke gone, but even the dust-filled battlefields have vanished, leaving only a desolate and ruined wasteland.
"Heh...heh..."
The dry, parched breaths, filled with unspoken despair, echoed in the void.
A streak of golden blood flowed, obscuring vision and blurring perspective, staining this already shattered world with a ghastly crimson and metallic hue.
At one moment, the sky seemed to tremble.
"Click...click..."
The sky has truly cracked open, with countless fissures blooming high in the dome.
The Way of Heaven and Earth is like a chain, manifesting itself on its own, with no end in sight, like threads trying to stitch up a wound, attempting to heal the scar.
The result was futile; the wound not only failed to heal but widened even more horribly and became even larger.
Silently, as suddenly as a heart ventricular fibrillation, the wound expanded hundreds of times, tens of millions of times, or even hundreds of millions of times.
A massive shadow passed through countless cracks, slowly falling from the sky, shaking the earth and shattering countless mountains and rivers.
A vast expanse of golden blood flooded the cracked earth, and the remaining blood covered the sky, adding color to the landscape. Intense death energy and terrifying corpse energy, along with this scorching blood, seeped into all the laws of nature, harboring evil intent and giving rise to strangeness and misfortune.
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The last image shattered.
Xiong Zhou and Senior Sister Duanmu exchanged a glance, both seeing a hint of surprise in each other's eyes.
Xiong Zhou felt his lips were dry and his back was covered in cold sweat.
Then, he suddenly remembered the broken coffin and the red-haired corpse he had seen in the Void Sea.
Xiong Zhou's eyelids began to twitch. He lowered his voice and said, "That huge shadow... could it be someone who is at the peak of the sixth level of Qi Refining, or even starting to move towards the seventh level...?"
"And then, this being 'sleeps' at our... feet?"
Duanmu Ning did not answer. She simply reached out and pursed her lips, looking at Zixuan, Wu Kang, and Li Tianqing who had come to her side.
With a heavy expression, Zi Xuan nodded and said, "Junior Brother Xiong Zhou's guess is very likely true."
"We need to be prepared."
Xiong Zhou suddenly felt an urge to jump up on the spot, as if something incredibly hot was burning the soles of his feet.
This is inhuman!
Those senior disciples in the heavens are no longer human!
Those high-ranking immortals in the sect are absolutely no longer human!
They actually threw these true disciples, who were only at the first level of Qi Refining, into the coffin of a near-immortal being who might have already undergone corpse transformation!
Was there any mistake? !
Is this really the ranking competition for the Tai Li True Disciples at the first level of Qi Refining?!
Is this still the Tai Li True Disciple Ranking Competition, which aims to give true disciples a chance to showcase themselves?!
Just then, the golden dandelions that had spread into the rift valley began to spontaneously coalesce.
They carried away all the essence of flesh and blood, extracted strands of ancient blood, and turned all the still-living corpses into ashes.
The golden radiance, carrying the power of the sun, was dazzling at this moment.
A few breaths later, a shimmering golden crystalline sphere condensed in the light and hung in mid-air.
【Name: Undying Holy Body - Bloodline Crystal】
Level: Fourth level of Qi Refining - Complete (Sixth level of Qi Refining - Extremely Incomplete)
Category: Bloodline-related Special Resources
Description: After absorbing enough ancient blood from the mutilated corpse, a third mutation occurs.
Special: Abundant Blessing, Spiritual Abomination, Ancient Refinement, Undying Mark, Gathering of Blazing Sun
Completion progress: 100% (0.0001%)
Through the residual power of authority within this crystal, its detailed information materialized into a panel before Xiong Zhou's eyes.
In an instant, his face turned as black as the bottom of a pot.
"This is the bloodline crystallization of the Undying Holy Body, and it's also the bloodline crystallization of the sixth level of Qi Refining."
At this moment, even a fool could guess that the shadow falling from the sky was that of an unknown, titled, and undefeated immortal saint at the sixth level of Qi Refining...
An immortal, near-immortal level cultivator with an indestructible holy body who may be about to turn into a zombie!
The ashes from the corpses inexplicably smeared at the feet of the five members of the Mountain and River Squad, transforming into various characters.
[Chain Mission 2, Completed]
[The performance of the members of the Mountain and River Squad has been uploaded to the Tai Li Sky Network, and they have received the 2th round of mission score.]
[Task Review:]
The Mountain and River Squad used a spiritually potent artifact to absorb the flesh and bones of a reanimated corpse, completing a bloodline-type resource and uncovering a part of the true history of the Azure Sky Realm in the process.
[Chain Quest 3: The Secret of the Dark Land]
[Mission Description: Enter the Rift Valley, travel deep into the earth, and discover the source of the death energy and corpse energy.]